Ultimate purpose of Ramadan, a beautiful reminder from brother Sheikh Zahir Mahmood about understanding the purpose of Ramadan before it starts.
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Recharge Your Iman Before Ramadan :Tips by Our Top Spirituality Writers Lilly Mohsen:
1. And so I soothe myself with one thought: I’m not alone. Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) is here so I ask Him for help on how to silence the thoughts of me not being good enough, and vow to be better tomorrow. Without that sincere desperation for guidance, I don’t think I would have the will to even wake up the next day. So yeah, that’s my first tip. Ask Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) for more genuine faith. Boy, do we ever need it!
2 . When I was 11, I asked my mom “What’s the best thing I can do to make God happy?”. She said “Love for others what you love for yourself.” At that time, I automatically thought “Since I love when my parents buy me chocolates, I should give chocolates to those who don’t have parents!” And so I went to the orphanage (and yes I got beaten up because I didn’t have enough bars!) but since then it became a tradition that I cherish with all my heart. Give what you wish you could get, be it time, love, attention, money or even a smile. Treat people the way you wish they would treat you, and be happy for others the way you’d love them to be happy for you. Give. And don’t expect to get anything in return. The Giver subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) will make sure you do get rewarded when the time is right.
3 . My third tip is to stay humble enough to serve others. That’s really what we are here for anyway. The second you start feeling you’re “all that” is a big sign of danger! (I recommend you deliberately shudder to remind yourself of how huge that is). Humility is the core of our religion. When you give up your seat for an older woman and when you help take out the garbage, pause and feel the light of modesty shining your face and heart. It’s a glow that brightens their world and ours, and a genuine feeling of satisfaction that is just incomparable.Bear with me people. Only two to go!
4. As much as I wish to maintain reading Qur’an daily, I still make it a point to never ever miss reading Surat Al Kahf on Fridays. That’s my forth and foremost tip to boost one’s iman since it’s recommended by the beloved ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him). The blessed light this chapter brings and the lessons it teaches us every week is all what we need to recharge. And it’s magically blissful, too! Once you’re hooked to this habit, there’s no turning back; it sort of grows on you.
5. Finally, my last tip is to live the ‘now’ when you stand before your Lord. I remember hearing a story about one of the companions who shivered once it was time for prayer. He would say, “Do you understand who I’m about to meet? Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) Himself!” Now that’s a man who got it right. Pause your mind, open your heart and submit your soul to the One and Only Lord subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He). Prayers are not aerobics, they’re the pillars of your faith. If you pray right then everything else in your life becomes right. Whatever is on your mind at that time can wait. Practice salah the way people practice meditation. I wish we had some kind of 9D glasses to see just how positive of an effect praying has in cleansing our inner beings.
I ask Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) to give us the humility to serve each other, to teach, learn and help and focus on what really matters in this life: pleasing Him subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He).
That’s all for now folks. Wishing you a beautifully blessed Ramadan. And please remember me in your dua (yeah, even if you already know and apply all those tips! I’m greedy that way).
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